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Hydroxychloroquine: 5 mg/kg/day Is Only the Starting Point
Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is one of the most important drugs in rheumatology, especially for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). It reduces flares, organ damage, cardiovascular events, and pregnancy complications, and it improves survival.
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Infectious Rheumatology (5.15.2026)
Dr. Jack Cush discusses his favorite journal articles from the past week on RheumNow.com.
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Another IL-17A inhibitor (Vunakizumab) for active Ankylosing Spondylitis
Vunakizumab, a novel anti–interleukin (IL) 17A monoclonal antibody, was studied in patients with active radiographic axial spondyloarthritis [r-axSpA] and found to be effective and
Toll-Like Receptor Drugs Effective in Cutaneous Lupus
MedPage Today
Enpatoran, an investigational oral drug that inhibits Toll-like receptors (TLR) 7 and 8, was superior to placebo in relieving lupus skin manifestations in a dose-finding phase II trial.
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Israel study 264,858 pregnancies- 1st trimester NSAID exposure had no risk of congenital malformations (MCM). 8% exposed vs unexposed: overall MCM 8.2% v 7%; aRR 0.99). MCMs not incr = MSK, CV, CNS, cleft palate, GI, GU, nonsignif MSM aRR from 0.77- 1.05 https://t.co/ytYhBFl44o https://t.co/1fq4D1KykM
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
In this week's RheumIQ quiz: An RA patient has a current or new cancer. With which cancer should you avoid/stop the use of a TNF inhibitor? See if you got it right at https://t.co/DTabBEfjj9 https://t.co/tVYUEjAPy3
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
FDA has approved benralizumab (Fasenra) for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients w/ hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES); based on the NATRON Phase III trial https://t.co/qqPsjhUClP https://t.co/lCZNoTh9fv
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
ANCA-Assoc. Vasculitis has great Rx optionis, BUT still no reliable biomaker to predict relapse or renal outcomes, this includes IL-6. But there is hope for CD163 in the future. https://t.co/lFyfTPj5vG https://t.co/wLfOPz76JC
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Registry of 587 #SLE pts. 30% were RNP+ --> more dz activity than RNP- (SLEDAI-2 8.0 vs 4.0) and more Rx use (daily GC 6.8 vs 3 mg). RNP+ more renal, skin & serologic activity & less likely to LLDAS (20% vs 32%) or REM (12% vs 23%). RNP + 18-fold more likely to be Sm+ https://t.co/9i3BBGA0uu
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Meet the RheumNow #EULAR2026 Reporting Team
Delivering real-time insights from the forefront of rheumatology:
🩺 Dr. Antoni Chan (@synovialjoints)
🩺 Dr. Mrinalini Dey (@DrMiniDey)
🩺 Dr. Jiha Lee (@JihaRheum)
🩺 Dr. Aurelie Najm (@AurelieRheumo)
🩺 Dr. Janet Pope https://t.co/zpIeGWpL6P
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Toll-Like Receptor Drugs Effective in Cutaneous Lupus
Enpatoran, an investigational oral drug that inhibits Toll-like receptors (TLR) 7 and 8, was superior to placebo in relieving lupus skin manifestations in a dose-finding phase II trial.
https://t.co/R1wbJHXwjD https://t.co/65HtG0Te94
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Lupus Mortality Risk in Young Women
New research using death certificate data from 52,942 females, reveals that systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus) is a leading cause of years of potential life lost among young women in the United States, underscoring the disease’s significant https://t.co/2FSINr6gZN
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Branebrutinib (Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitor) was studied in phase 2 RCT of 85 RA pts for 12 weeks and was safe but failed to achieve an ACR50 response (19% BTK vs 33% PBO; p=0·16). https://t.co/gTjLJm9iIW https://t.co/GN9p1P8ZNJ
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
ArthritisPower Registry (now PatientSpot) survey study of 351 RA pts (age 60, F 84%); reported 439 nonserious infx. 27% total infx, 14%w/ MD visist & Abx. Infx incr w/ GC ≥10 mg/d (OR 1.94), but Biologics & JAKi not assoc. w/ greater NSIE risk vs cs DMARDs https://t.co/bHqFnoY0Ud
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Registry of 587 #SLE pts. 30% were RNP+ --> more dz activity than RNP- (SLEDAI-2 8.0 vs 4.0) and more Rx use (daily GC 6.8 vs 3 mg). RNP+ more renal, skin & serologic activity & less likely to LLDAS (20% vs 32%) or REM (12% vs 23%). RNP + 18-fold more likely to be Sm+ https://t.co/3J0Uew48OS
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Femoral BMD & osteoporosis are independent predictors (nverse relationship) of all-cause mortality in postmenopausal women. NHANES study(2005-2018) of 2,977 postmenopausal F, OP yielded 47% incr mortality (HR 1.47) https://t.co/67Jv63X0Hx https://t.co/4vbFDydTY7
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
No link between pregnancy tylenol & autism. JAMA Pediatrics data from 1.5 million Danish children( 1997 -2022); ~2% were tylenol exposed during preg. 2% of these Dx w/ Dx w/ autism (vs. 3% not exposed) https://t.co/Pp1tE54Dic https://t.co/qu61jKolpN
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
FDA has published final guidance on Postapproval Pregnancy Safety Studies; how to study outcomes in pregnant women exposed to drugs & biologics- updates on registries,statistical methods, complementary studies, rare Rx exposures https://t.co/NWxrgB0dPQ https://t.co/ckyaJ07MQ0
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
ANCA assoc. pachymeningitis (AAP) is rare. 230 systemic vasculitis, from 177 reports (108 MPO+, 71 PR3+); age~60; HA & cranial neuropathy (hearing/visual loss, diplopia) common. 89% w/ systemic Sxs (ENT, lungs, orbits, kidneys). Look for abnl ESR/CRP, CSF https://t.co/bHQegYYl5V https://t.co/hpfu8iaIkx
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
CorEvitas RA registry study of 9601 RA pts starting b/tsDMARDs (52K yrs F/U) - 10.4% had eGFR<60 9CRI). Achieving CDAI remission was lower w/ CRI - 28% vs 19%(adj HR 0·76 [0·66–0·88]) https://t.co/E42N3PQHwG https://t.co/WNIGGCpCfZ
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
